As you can see from the pictures, Ronan is a member of our family. When he is not around, we are not the same. Ronan is home finally... let’s keep him here. But for that, we need your help.

Hi, my name is Mary Howard, and though Ronan isn’t my grandson by blood, he has called me “Grandma” since he could speak — and I have loved him like one of my grandkids ever since he came into my life. For the past ten years, Ronan has been part of our family. He’s celebrated holidays, birthdays, and everyday life with us. I even had the privilege of getting to watch him grow up when I lived with him for several years. He belongs here in Arizona, with his mom, his siblings, and surrounded by the people who love him.

Next week, Ronan’s mom, Ashley, faces a custody hearing in Indiana but cannot afford to hire counsel to represent Ronan’s best interests. Even though Ronan’s mom and dad are in agreement with the current custody arrangement and Ronan is enrolled in school here in Arizona, there is a real threat that Ronan may be forced to move back to Indiana. Despite having only recently entered Ronan’s life, Ashley’s estranged father is intent on separating Ronan from his mom and dad. He has powerful legal connections, and without a lawyer, Ashley risks losing her son forever. She cannot afford the representation she desperately needs to protect Ronan’s mental and physical well‑being.

We all know that Ashley has done nothing wrong to lose custody of Ronan, but the courts have been manipulated to paint her as the unfit parent. This is a lie. Ronan has roots in Arizona, he is back in Arizona, and he needs to stay here in Arizona. The only thing that threatens this is powerful people who know how to play dirty and manipulate the system.

I have watched Ashley care for Ronan with love and devotion. She didn’t just do this with her son. She has also done it with my son’s other children — my grandkids — children who were not even her own! I have seen the bond not only between Ashley and Ronan but also between my son and Ronan, and I know how deeply Ronan needs the stability of his mother’s care. As long as Ronan stays in his mom’s care, he will have access to both his mom and dad. But if the grandfather wins in court, Ronan will be ripped from both parents. Ronan is a smart, joyful, special boy who deserves to feel safe and secure in the family he knows. He should not be raised by a grandfather who only met him less than two years ago. Ronan has been through enough back‑and‑forth already. Let’s help Ashley get a lawyer to convince the Indiana judge that the case needs to come back to Arizona.

I am asking for your help to raise funds so Ashley can hire an Indiana lawyer to stand up for Ronan. Every donation will go directly toward Ashley’s legal fees.

Your support will help ensure that Ronan’s voice is heard and that he can remain with his mom, his siblings, and the rest of the family in Arizona — where he is loved and cherished.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for helping us fight for Ronan’s future.

— Mary Howard (“Grandma”)